should I just bypass HR completely?

jjjoy, LPN · Mar 5, 2008

Try HR once again (and no need to give' em two weeks) and then go for it. Don't wait for HR to call you. Bring in your application in person and be prepared to talk to a nurse manager if one happens to be available. Follow up with a phone call 2-3 days later.

Hospital HR departments are infamous for not following up on applications and I've heard many a nurse say they got their job directly through a nurse manager. As long as you are polite and respectful (eg not leaving rude messages or storming into the office with a sense of entitlement), they've no (valid) reason to think badly of you. In fact, many nurse managers are glad to see such initiative... and if a nurse manager is rude to you in your efforts, then you know you don't want to work for them anyway.

Nvr2Old · Mar 7, 2008

I've had my own problem with HR. I ended up taking my resume to the DON and was hired on the spot. So I'd say it was worth a try. Good luck to you. :twocents:

tutored · Mar 9, 2008

doglvr, I read our post and have been having the exact same experience as yourslef........looking for two months, now (I'm in an east coast city, too), great GPA and good instructor references, apparently good relations with nurse managers both as a student and when meeting the occasional one for an interview (though, like you, HR people don't even respond. I put read-recepits on my e-mail correspondence, so I know they get them). It's like I'm reading about my own experience. I appreciated the advice from the others. I'm going to go next week in a good suit and a stack of resumes and start visiting hospitals. What's the worst thing that can happen to us? We'd get thrown off the floor by security? I dont' think so. Good luck to you and let me know how you fare. :typing

Milenamilena · Mar 9, 2008

Hi, everybody! I got the job in one of the best hospitals in the east coast, w/o hospital experience and BSN from another Eurpean country. English is my second language. I was working in the nursing home and looking for a new job in the hospital. Many people try to get the job where I just got it, second best paying hospital in NJ. How?

My secret is to fill out the application in person, and my resume is excellent. Have some good help to fix yours. On the interview? You have to be perfectly professionall and flexible. Med sur floor is where you will start and you can climb up, to L&D and any other place. Reality is that you have to start where they want you. With no experience you can;t pick and choose, but once you have any job, keep looking for something better.

Jolie, BSN · Mar 9, 2008

As a former nurse manager, I can tell you that it is not possible to bypass HR completely, but there are ways around the roadblocks you seem to be experiencing.

HR is a necessary "evil" in the hiring process, and at times they frustrate the managers as much as the candidates. They receive an overwhelming number of resumes, applications and requests for information, and at times are not good at filtering thru them or referring viable candidates on to the unit managers. So candidates get frustrated with the lack of responses from managers and managers are frustrated at the lack of candidates they are made aware of.

The best way around that is to contact the manager(s) directly. But please do not show up unannounced on the unit. On OB or peds, you may well be escorted out by security. On other units, a busy charge nurse or manager will not have the time to speak to you without a prior appointment, and may view your unannounced visit as presumptious, rude or "clueless". If you are able to learn the manager's name, send him/her a resume, cover letter and copies of pre-written references from instructors or employers. Even if you don't know the manager's name, you can still mail your information to "OB Nurse Manager". Follow up with an e-mail or phone call. Be aware that managers are busy, but most are willing to talk to you at their convenience.

If you have an interview, but don't get the job, contact the manager and politely ask if s/he can offer any suggestions on how to improve your chances in the future. Also ask if s/he has any suggestions for similar units in the area at which to apply. Most local managers know each other and newtork. If s/he doesn't have a job to offer, s/he may know of another manager who does.

Be patient and persistent. Good luck!

tutored · Mar 9, 2008

Hi, everybody! I got the job in one of the best hospitals in the east coast, w/o hospital experience and BSN from another Eurpean country. English is my second language. I was working in the nursing home and looking for a new job in the hospital. Many people try to get the job where I just got it, second best paying hospital in NJ. How?
My secret is to fill out the application in person, and my resume is excellent. Have some good help to fix yours. On the interview? You have to be perfectly professionall and flexible. Med sur floor is where you will start and you can climb up, to L&D and any other place. Reality is that you have to start where they want you. With no experience you can;t pick and choose, but once you have any job, keep looking for something better.

Happy for you, but......I don't see how foreign nurses so often get jobs that Americans are turned down for (or are never called back)...my profile fits yours perfectly. I have a BSN. English is my FIRST language, as a native-born American citizen. I did fill out my application in person. My resume IS excellent. Your advice about interviewing skills, though good basic, solid advice for new nurses in their early twenties just starting out on the workforce, isn't suited for someone who'e been out there in the workforce. I am 39 years old and have interviewed for jobs for many years with a previous career. I made it clear on well-worded cover letters that I was flexible, able to work weekends and varied shifts, and any department that needed me (though I did indicate preferences for med-surg/CCU/ICU). I never, ever thought, or conveyed to potential employers, that I could "pick and choose" a nursing position. I realize that new nurses are, at first, often more of a liability for a hospital than an asset, and tried earnestly to keep this in mind, without selling myself short.

It's nice of you to offer your experiences to the forum, and many young, new graduates will do well to keep your words in mind. :up: Good luck in your new position.

tutored · Mar 9, 2008

As a former nurse manager, I can tell you that it is not possible to bypass HR completely, but there are ways around the roadblocks you seem to be experiencing.
HR is a necessary "evil" in the hiring process, and at times they frustrate the managers as much as the candidates. They receive an overwhelming number of resumes, applications and requests for information, and at times are not good at filtering thru them or referring viable candidates on to the unit managers. So candidates get frustrated with the lack of responses from managers and managers are frustrated at the lack of candidates they are made aware of.
The best way around that is to contact the manager(s) directly. But please do not show up unannounced on the unit. On OB or peds, you may well be escorted out by security. On other units, a busy charge nurse or manager will not have the time to speak to you without a prior appointment, and may view your unannounced visit as presumptious, rude or "clueless". If you are able to learn the manager's name, send him/her a resume, cover letter and copies of pre-written references from instructors or employers. Even if you don't know the manager's name, you can still mail your information to "OB Nurse Manager". Follow up with an e-mail or phone call. Be aware that managers are busy, but most are willing to talk to you at their convenience.
If you have an interview, but don't get the job, contact the manager and politely ask if s/he can offer any suggestions on how to improve your chances in the future. Also ask if s/he has any suggestions for similar units in the area at which to apply. Most local managers know each other and newtork. If s/he doesn't have a job to offer, s/he may know of another manager who does.
Be patient and persistent. Good luck!

Excellent, solid advice Jolie - thank you SO much. :yeah: It's been several years since I've had to interview for work again (having been previously self-employed for over a decade), and you reminded me about some things that I had forgotten. And of COURSE :smackingf I shouldn't walk into a unit without an appointment (duh!) - that looked ridiculous as soon as I saw my post in writing! :lol2: I've never, yet, met a nurse manager who liked her HR person/people! And you're right on about their workloads with so many applications flooding in (We've had several hospital closings in my area) - I often forget that they just don't have the time for long, scintillating conversations with each and every potential applicant! Your advice is really appreciated.:cheers:

Milenamilena · Mar 10, 2008

Happy for you, but......I don't see how foreign nurses so often get jobs that Americans are turned down for (or are never called back)...my profile fits yours perfectly. I have a BSN. English is my FIRST language, as a native-born American citizen. I did fill out my application in person. My resume IS excellent. Your advice about interviewing skills, though good basic, solid advice for new nurses in their early twenties just starting out on the workforce, isn't suited for someone who'e been out there in the workforce. I am 39 years old and have interviewed for jobs for many years with a previous career. I made it clear on well-worded cover letters that I was flexible, able to work weekends and varied shifts, and any department that needed me (though I did indicate preferences for med-surg/CCU/ICU). I never, ever thought, or conveyed to potential employers, that I could "pick and choose" a nursing position. I realize that new nurses are, at first, often more of a liability for a hospital than an asset, and tried earnestly to keep this in mind, without selling myself short.
It's nice of you to offer your experiences to the forum, and many young, new graduates will do well to keep your words in mind. Good luck in your new position.

Hi,

Seems like you are doing all the things that helped me to get almost every position that I have applied for, even though competition is high. :up:

What else can I tell you? :bugeyes: In my resume I write that I am hard working and honest person, and I am. :nurse: I always thought the fact that I am a forein nurse will be disadvataging for me so I prepared my resume, extra, extra. But maybe the fact that I am polish actually helps. Because usually employees have a good opinion of us a a workers.

Also I am going to be graduating with my MSN this summer, and I think employeers like that fact.

Keep trying. don't give up! And look critically at every step that you make in the process. You can read some tips on the web, I used www.monster.com and some others that I don;t remember. :nurse:

Milenamilena · Mar 10, 2008

Happy for you, but......I don't see how foreign nurses so often get jobs that Americans are turned down for (or are never called back)...my profile fits yours perfectly. I have a BSN. English is my FIRST language, as a native-born American citizen. I did fill out my application in person. My resume IS excellent. Your advice about interviewing skills, though good basic, solid advice for new nurses in their early twenties just starting out on the workforce, isn't suited for someone who'e been out there in the workforce. I am 39 years old and have interviewed for jobs for many years with a previous career. I made it clear on well-worded cover letters that I was flexible, able to work weekends and varied shifts, and any department that needed me (though I did indicate preferences for med-surg/CCU/ICU). I never, ever thought, or conveyed to potential employers, that I could "pick and choose" a nursing position. I realize that new nurses are, at first, often more of a liability for a hospital than an asset, and tried earnestly to keep this in mind, without selling myself short.
It's nice of you to offer your experiences to the forum, and many young, new graduates will do well to keep your words in mind. Good luck in your new position.

Thanks, for your words. I am looking for a new job in SICU now. Not an easy task.

Also creating excellent cover letter that will tell emloyee how motivated you are and other stuff will help.

doglvr · Mar 15, 2008

WOW! Thanks to everyone who responded to my post!! It really means a lot to me! :heartbeat

I have an interview scheduled for next Friday, and if I don't think that went well/dont hear back from any other hospitals I'm going to send my resume out to each nurse manager at the hospitals I'm interested in.

Thanks again!!

Milenamilena · Mar 15, 2008

goog luck to you! Go with the thought that you are going to get it. Practice at home aswering the typical HR question.